Victor Sukhanov

CuBr Laser Excited by a Capacitively Coupled Longitudinal Discharge

The paper presents the study of the CuBr laser energy characteristics using capacitively coupled discharge excitation. We have studied the effect of the addition of HBr on laser performance for gas discharge tubes of different bore diameter at various input power conditions. When adding HBr pulse and average output power as well as laser efficiency more than double increase due to the shortening of the current pulse rising time and its duration. The total maximum average lasing power of 3.7 W was obtained at 0.27% efficiency. In the paper, we also notice that when adding admixtures capacitively coupled discharge pumping is superior to traditional glow discharge pumping.

Free-flying manipulation robot using for in-orbit assembly of large space structures

In this paper, it is considered a number of tasks that are pertained to control by free-flying space manipulation robot (SR) at the process of large space structures in-orbit assembly. It was introduced SR mathematical model with taking into account of the systems discrete character and using of self-braked drives of the manipulator. It is considered the problem of the SRs reconfiguration with the next recovery of the initial orientation that is necessary for a passage to the regime of payload transportation to the assembly place. The notion of SR configuration “cover” is formulated. Using this notion some conditions of SR safe moving near to a surface of the assembled construction are defined. Alternative approach to the SR control in the mode of handling functioning is suggested. This approach does not require the procedure of a gripper path planning. Efficiency of suggested approach is illustrated at computer simulation of an example.

Capacitive-Discharge-Pumped CuBr Laser With 12 W Average Output Power

This paper presents the study of the energy characteristics of a medium scale CuBr laser (1130 cm3 active volume) pumped by a longitudinal capacitive discharge. The output power dependences on the equivalent operating capacitance and on the ratio of high-voltage and ground electrode capacitances are studied. The best characteristics are obtained when the high-voltage electrode capacitance exceeds the ground electrode capacitance or when the electrode capacitances are equal. The presence of a threshold value for pumping power, above which the introduction of HBr additive into the active volume improves laser performance, is also noted. The total maximum average lasing power was 12 W at ~ 0.5% efficiency when the capacitances of both the electrodes were 1190 pF.

Attitude Guidance and Control of Mini-satellites and Free-flying Robots*

Abstract The information mini-satellites (for communication, geodesy, radio- and optoelectronic observation of the Earth et al.) and the space free-flying robots (used for service of manned orbital space stations and for assembling the large space structures) have some principle problems with respect to their spatial attitude guidance and control. In the paper these problems are considered and obtained results are presented.

Perspectives of capacitive discharge application for pumping of metal vapor lasers with modified kinetics

The paper presents the study of CuBr lasers excited by longitudinal capacitive discharge. Performance characteristics of the laser with outer electrodes using various excitation circuits are considered. The effect of HBr additive on the discharge and lasing characteristics of capacitively excited CuBr laser is contrasted to that of conventional pulse-periodic discharge with inner electrodes. It is shown that when using such a type of pumping the influence of electronegative HBr additive depends on the type of the excitation circuit that is used. The best results are achieved when using the circuits providing a high rate of rise of the discharge current. The maximum increasing of output power and laser efficiency (up to 3 times) with HBr additive was obtained in a gas discharge tube of a relatively large bore (2.7 cm), which suggests good output power scaling of CuBr-HBr laser with capacitive discharge pumping.

High pulse-repetition rate metal and metal halide vapor lasers

In the paper, we show the present state of the art of high pulse repetition frequency (PRF) metal vapor lasers (MVL’s) and metal halide vapor lasers (MHVL’s) development. We also analyze underlying physical features, which limit optimum and maximum PRF of the above lasers and mention the results of the experimental study of high PRF CuBr and PbBr2 vapor lasers. By use of a powerful tasitron as a switch and a small hydrogen additive to the buffer gas Ne we obtained the output power of a practical use with PRF more than 200 kHz. Given PRF 250 kHz and a laser tube of diameter 2.5 cm and length 76 cm, we have got the output power 1.5 W. For PRF 200 kHz and 100 kHz, the output power 3 W and 10.5 W has been got respectively without gas flow across the discharge tube. Experimental and numerical modeling data evidence that the small H2 (or Cs) additives improve the frequency and output features of MVL’s and MHVL’s.